By Olan Suddeth

Every league has one or two – superstar players who don’t put in their full effort, or who reserve that effort for games only.

Perhaps you have one of these on your team. As the coach, you were excited to land one of the “top” players in your league. And then, when you started practice, you discovered that your star shortstop doesn’t seem to take practice seriously. They have been told all their life how good of a player that they are – and they have the all-star jerseys to prove it.

So they goof off in the batting cage, since they can hit the ball without even trying. Likewise, during infield practice, they showboat a bit, missing routine plays more than they should, while making up for it with a spectacular throw or backhanded stop. Yes, they might pick up a bad habit or two while doing this, but during actual contests, they have their game face on, and still manage to play at a high level.

So what’s the harm? They can still help you win a championship, right?

If that’s your line of thinking (along with 90% of youth coaches out there), you should seriously rethink what your motivations as a coach really are. Should you want to win? Absolutely. As a coach, you should put the best team on the field that you can. But your first responsibility is to help each and every member of that team to develop into a better player than they were when you met them.

So don’t be afraid to discipline that superstar. Try talking to them first, privately. Let them know that you realize they have great talent and skill. Let them know that you realize they turn it on during the game. But explain that they are letting their team down by not putting forth their best every time that they step on the field – their teammates look up to them, and if they dog it, the others may, as well. Furthermore, if they do not practice hard, they give up the chance to improve as much as they could have, resulting in limitations to their game that simply should not exist.

You can try small discipline steps – say something when you see them lagging in practice. Make them go into the dugout for a few minutes while someone else gets their reps.

If they still don't respond, pull them from your infield and play them in right. Or better yet, let them start a game on the bench. Drop them to the bottom of the batting order. Explain why you made this decision, and make it clear that the requirements for every team member are the same – all players should be expected to give 100% all of the time; everyone is expected to earn their position. If your star is exempt, you are a hypocrite.

Ideally, you can identify this issue before the regular season starts, and have the chance to clear up any issues during the preseason. Even if not, know that the life lessons you teach this youngster – and everyone on your team – are more important than the victory or two that might be in question because of your move.

Olan Suddeth is a Little League coach in the Birmingham, Alabama area. His website, Youth Baseball Info, offers free articles, drills, and tips for youth baseball coaches, parents and fans.